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I don't have a lot of interest in more modern history, but I spent some time a while back trying to research what things were like socially before each major revolution or civil wars in the different countries. Its difficult because even if you find letters from common people the time gap is large enough it is difficult to pick up on the subtleties.
Long story short one thing that seemed common to me was the feeling that what the current authority of the time/location was illegitimate, often with the opinion another authority was the rightful one. The other common thing I picked up on was talking about "the other sides" supporters as if they were less than nothing. Like they could kill them and not feel a thing.
I can't help but wonder if what we have seen in the world the last few years is what it feels like as the next major rift approaches. Things don't seem to be on a path of getting better, at all. In fact, it seems that every month there is something that further entrenches each side in their belief of righteousness. What is scary to me, is not when somebody just very strongly feels one way, but when they start to feel they have a moral obligation to better the world by stomping out the other belief. Fighting is one thing, but two sides fighting for what they believe is for everything they believe in, imho, what leads to the great events in history that change the world. This time, on a global scale.
